+ vitamins - minerals , please?
December 6, 2009 7:50 AM Subscribe
O Hive Mind,
I love my vitamins, but i'd like my calcium in a separate installment because of kidney risk factors and a previous history of urinating small bricks. Can you suggest products that - you not being a doctor notwithstanding - are appropriate for me?
Bonus points if they are mail orderable from within euroland.
TIA
Sardines.
posted by whiskeyspider at 8:54 AM on December 6, 2009
posted by whiskeyspider at 8:54 AM on December 6, 2009
Response by poster: yes there are reasons for which i am asking specifically for dietary supplements that are easy on the kidneys; lack of a refridgerator one of them. I also already have a sardine provider, so thanks for your answer but it doesnt really solve my problem.
posted by 3mendo at 9:05 AM on December 6, 2009
posted by 3mendo at 9:05 AM on December 6, 2009
Do you mean you want a multivitamin without calcium? Or do you want non-pill calcium? I'm having a hard time following the question.
posted by barnone at 9:18 AM on December 6, 2009
posted by barnone at 9:18 AM on December 6, 2009
Drinking milk reduces the risk of kidney stones (consider UHT milk, which does not require refrigeration). However, taking calcium supplements is thought by many to increase the risk of kidney stones; some studies indicate that it does not, but at least one showed that it did. It's enough to make me nervous about the idea, anyway.
Taking vitamin C supplements tends to increase the rate of kidney stone formation.
In addition, it really helps to drink more water, enough that you have to get up at night. Find out what your kidney stones are made of; if they contain calcium oxalate, avoid super high-oxalate foods such as spinach, beet greens, and rhubarb.
posted by Ery at 9:21 AM on December 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
Taking vitamin C supplements tends to increase the rate of kidney stone formation.
In addition, it really helps to drink more water, enough that you have to get up at night. Find out what your kidney stones are made of; if they contain calcium oxalate, avoid super high-oxalate foods such as spinach, beet greens, and rhubarb.
posted by Ery at 9:21 AM on December 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I too have a hard time understanding this question.
What do you like about your vitamins? Their taste, their smell, how they make you feel? Do you have a specific recommendation from your doctor?
The current research seems to indicate that for many people vitamin use is not beneficial and can even be harmful.
From the Guardian:
""The bottom line is current evidence does not support the use of antioxidant supplements in the general healthy population or in patients with certain diseases," said Goran Bjelakovic, who performed the review at Copenhagen Universityhospital in Denmark."
From the NIH:
Two large trials (1, 2) designed to test lung cancer prevention with ß-carotene found a surprising increase in lung cancer incidence and deaths in smokers and male asbestos workers. There was no effect in preventing a number of other types of cancer, including gastric, pancreatic, breast, bladder, colorectal, and prostate cancer as well as leukemia, mesothelioma, and lymphoma.
The NIH link also talks about lots of other vitamins and the lack of results from studies of those taking them. It concludes, "the present evidence is insufficient to recommend either for or against the use of MVMs(Multivitamin/multimineral) by the American public to prevent chronic disease."
posted by GregorWill at 11:45 AM on December 6, 2009
What do you like about your vitamins? Their taste, their smell, how they make you feel? Do you have a specific recommendation from your doctor?
The current research seems to indicate that for many people vitamin use is not beneficial and can even be harmful.
From the Guardian:
""The bottom line is current evidence does not support the use of antioxidant supplements in the general healthy population or in patients with certain diseases," said Goran Bjelakovic, who performed the review at Copenhagen Universityhospital in Denmark."
From the NIH:
Two large trials (1, 2) designed to test lung cancer prevention with ß-carotene found a surprising increase in lung cancer incidence and deaths in smokers and male asbestos workers. There was no effect in preventing a number of other types of cancer, including gastric, pancreatic, breast, bladder, colorectal, and prostate cancer as well as leukemia, mesothelioma, and lymphoma.
The NIH link also talks about lots of other vitamins and the lack of results from studies of those taking them. It concludes, "the present evidence is insufficient to recommend either for or against the use of MVMs(Multivitamin/multimineral) by the American public to prevent chronic disease."
posted by GregorWill at 11:45 AM on December 6, 2009
Ah, I understand your question better now. Its hidden in the title.
You don't want an MVM, you want a multivitamin without multiminerals. You don't want to take multiple single pills of vitamin E, vitamin C, etc., you want one pill.
I would have to stay with my answer that unless you are in a special subset such as pregnant, buying vitamins is just flushing your money down the toilet.
posted by GregorWill at 11:53 AM on December 6, 2009
You don't want an MVM, you want a multivitamin without multiminerals. You don't want to take multiple single pills of vitamin E, vitamin C, etc., you want one pill.
I would have to stay with my answer that unless you are in a special subset such as pregnant, buying vitamins is just flushing your money down the toilet.
posted by GregorWill at 11:53 AM on December 6, 2009
Response by poster: Thanks GregorWill, I'm trying to optimize my storage volume/nutritional value ratio in some niche cases as i plan on spending some time in deserted areas where normal diets are hard to maintain; apparently you cant always bring an army of cooks with you. I know that living on pills is not a great idea.
In my situation do you think water soluble tablets are as "safe" as regular pills? I dont mind crushing them before i eat them.
posted by 3mendo at 12:21 AM on December 7, 2009
In my situation do you think water soluble tablets are as "safe" as regular pills? I dont mind crushing them before i eat them.
posted by 3mendo at 12:21 AM on December 7, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 8:39 AM on December 6, 2009